Monday, 30 November 2015

We are publishing below a recent briefing from the Blacklist Support Group (B.S.G):

"The Met Police have apologised publicly to the women activists who were deceived into long term relationships with undercover police officers. Until now, the police would 'Neither Confirm Nor Deny' whether the men involved were even police officers.

The apology is a major breakthrough and should be read by everybody on the 'Spies Out of Lives' website. The apology from the Met Police to the women activists should set the tone for the kind of apology blacklisted workers should expect from the construction employers.

The institutional sexism of the police and the detail of the abuse will be investigated fully by the Pitchford Inquiry into Undercover policing of which the women are all 'core participants'. The fight by these women activists against the might of the British secret state is heroic. They are an inspiration to our movement and the Blacklist Support Group are honoured to have worked alongside the campaign. Helen Steel and other women activists also appear on the construction industry blacklist. We are immensely proud of you all.

9am - High Court blacklisting group litigation (meet outside the Royal Courts of Justice for photo-opportunity)

6pm - Westminster Parliament - with John McDonnell MP

9pm - Xmas celebration drinks

This is the first legal hearing since the employers admitted their guilt and apologised for their role in the Economic League and Consulting Association blacklisting scandal. Bring your banners and your 'Blacklisted' t-shirts

Operation Herne, is a police inquiry that is looking into allegations of undercover policing. Although the inquiry is still ongoing, public statements have already been made by the police denying any police involvement in the blacklisting of workers.In August 2013, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), acting on a complaint from the Blacklist Support Group (BSG), admitted that Special Branch had routinely provided information about prospective employees. This was categorically denied by the police at the time. A further inquiry into undercover policing, is being carried out by Lord Justice Pitchford. The Blacklist Support Group have been given core participant status in the inquiry. Operation Herne, is viewed by some with scepticism and by others, as the police preparing their defence for the Pitchford public inquiry. It manages to pretty much rubbish everything that the whistle-blower Peter Francis says including any police involvement with blacklisting. It was published on the very same day as the Ellison report which pretty much said that Peter Francis was credible and that there should be further investigation. Teresa May ignored the Operation Herne report and announced the public inquiry the same day. But it gives a date at which Herne dismisses police collusion with blacklisting, so might be useful.A BBC 2 documentary, 'True Spies', (see above) broadcast in 2002, focused on how Special Branch had helped to blacklist what was termed 'potentially troublesome employees' at Fords and had pressed the BBC not to hire 'left wingers'. In the documentary, ex-Special Branch officers openly talk about spying on trade unions and assisting in the blacklisting of perceived trouble makers by providing a vetting service to major employers.

The construction firms who have admitted their guilt in the blacklisting High Court litigation are now sending out a revised set of compensation offers to workers that they have blacklisted. This is a blatant attempt to buy-off workers and make them settle in order to avoid going to court. Blacklist Support Group are not qualified to give legal advice and individuals should therefore take the advice from their legal teams. It is essential that all the claimants and their legal teams stay united, as the employers will attempt to use a divide and rule tactic if they can get away with it.

However, BSG position remains 100% in favour of a full trial in May 2016. A few pounds compensation is not justice - we want to see the directors of the multinational firms who orchestrated the human rights scandal forced to give evidence under oath. BSG want full public disclosure of the documentary evidence that the companies have kept hidden for decades.

6. Art Against Blacklisting - new facebook page set up to bring together artists and film makers covering blacklisting and workers rights in their work. Created by the Blacklist Support Group Artist in Residence. https://www.facebook.com/AAB3213/?ref=profile

BSG has consistently argued that blacklisting firms should not be awarded public contracts. Now that the companies have admitted their guilt in open court, it is entirely possible to remove them from approved tender lists under ethical procurement policies. Islington Council has already removed Kier from a £16m a year contacts because of their involvement in blacklisting. In Southampton, Cllr Andrew Pope has tabled the following question to the full council. These initiatives should be taken up across the UK.

"On 7th October 2015, in the Consulting Association blacklisting cases at the High Court, construction firms admitted that they had infringed workers’ rights to confidentiality, privacy, reputation and data protection, plus admitting defamation. Plus, they... were ordered by the High Court in July 2015 to conduct comprehensive searches for evidence of blacklisting. Several of these firms have operated in Southampton, including on the Sea City Museum, the former Ordnance Survey site, and on Watermark West Quay. What will this Council do to ensure that blacklisting was not and will not be conducted on the City’s construction sites? Will this include planning conditions and conditions in Employment and Skills Plans and S106 Agreements?"

10. Teesside #PayTheRate dispute

The High Court has granted an injunction against the rank & file activists committees that have been organising the early morning protests in Teeside against construction companies undercutting the national agreements - the injunction prevents them from holding protests on private land at one of the plants where the protests are taking place. This won't stop the protests.

Tuesday, 17 November 2015

"In a north west market
town there was a large underused public building. It was referred to as “the joke shop” because
it was once an unemployment / benefits office. It adjoined a large parking area
which was much needed in that town centre. A community minibus was parked
there, available to local groups. This vehicle was surrounded by many
“no-parking-clamping-warning” signs, far more than were needed. They remained in place, threatening people
after the minibus had been moved elsewhere but only a small part of the parking
area was needed by the employees of the building. Local anarchists then began gradually to
remove the signs. “Freed spaces” were
soon used by shop workers and their customers.
They were so well used that months later the anarchists concerned had
nowhere to park in the town centre.

Moral:- If you do the right thing and others follow
do not expect any kind of credit or recognition.

Selfish motorists then
began blocking the entrance to the building to the inconvenience of people whom
it employed. A large army of Police
traffic cones then appeared, prohibiting parking over a much larger area than
was needed. A local anarchist then began
to gradually dispose of the Police cones, which were soon replaced with others.

But week-end visitors,
when the building was closed, followed the example of their unknown benefactor
and also dumped the cop-cones. Eventually, the cop-cones only covered the area
needed to give access to the building’s employees. A happy truce.

Moral:- Be satisfied that
others have followed your examples, credit should go to the group or community
who do the right thing. One day they may
see the value of anarchism and our forms of action."

Today Simon was at it again with a Sun piece headed 'Time for
Corbyn to get in tune with people on terrorism.' What seems to be upsetting
Simon is that Jeremy isn't indulging in grandstanding, Danczuk style, about the
killing of Mohammed Enwazi. Helpfully Simon puts him on the right track with:

“Jeremy also needs to show moral indignation towards the
terrorists.”

“There’s
no room for hand-wringing pieties or academic chin-stroking.”

“Unfortunately, Jeremy got it wrong in his response to Jihadi
John’s death. There was no way he could have been arrested without sending
British soldiers to Syria.”

Now I don't know who Simon thinks he's speaking for here but
it certainly isn't for all the friends and relative of those murdered by the
Isis executioner, who were more thoughtful in their response.

Bethany Haines, daughter of the first Briton murdered by this
man is quoted as saying 'Much as I wanted him dead, I also wanted answers as to
why he did it.' The brother of Alan Hemmings has been quoted as saying he was
glad Emwazi was dead but would have preferred him to face justice. Diane Foley
the mother of James Foley, Emwazi's first known victim, said she was saddened
that Americans were celebrating the killing of this “deranged, pathetic young
man” and that she felt no sense of justice. Adding “It's just so sad that our
precious resources have been concentrated to seek revenge or kill this man.”

If Simon really wants to do something to break the grip of
Isis he should be pressuring the British government to work with other nations
to halt the sale of oil by Isis which has enabled it to become the richest
terrorist 'brand' the world has ever known."

In my youth, school masters often told their pupils when they were about to leave school, that the world was their oyster. But as D.H. Lawrence once said in his naughty novel, 'Lady Chatterley's Lover', "The world is supposed to be full of possibilities, but they narrow down to pretty few in most personal experience."There are many reasons why success in English society tends to favour members of a social elite. Upper class twits, like Boris Johnson, David Cameron and George Osborne, owe much of their success, not to having "sharp elbows" or merit, but to the elite social class into which they were born. In Cameron's case, it helps if your mother-in-law is Lady Astor, who got him his first job at Carlton TV, his only venture into employment outside of the political world. Other reasons, include inherited wealth, attendance at an elite public school and where you live. In countries like Britain, where there are now extreme levels of inequality of income and wealth, a child's success is now more linked to parental status than intellect or merit. As they say, "To Him That Hath Shall Be Given." Never the less, though few in number, some people do succeed in spite of the many obstacles. One such case, is that of local Ashton lad, David Potts (58), a former pupil of Hartshead Secondary Modern School, in Ashton-under-Lyne. Despite leaving school in 1973 without any qualifications whatsoever, earlier this year, he was appointed C.E.O. of Morrisons supermarkets on a reported salary of £850,000. After leaving school, he started working for Tesco supermarkets, in Ashton, as a shelf stacker, and became the youngest store manager at the age of 23. Before quitting Tesco in 2011, after 38-years, with a reported pension pot of £7.73m and shares worth £6.5m, he had been group manager at Tesco, in charge of 250 stores. Had Mr. Pott's been leaving school today, he would probably have found himself doing the same work for nowt, under the government's state sponsored slavery scheme, otherwise known as the 'Work Programme'.In the Autumn edition of 'The Tameside Citizen', a propaganda rag published by Tameside Council, David Potts, is hailed as one of six examples of business success stories. That well-known local scourge of New Charter Housing, Steve (Starlord) Fisher, well remembers his fellow school friend David Potts, when he also attended Harstshead school at the same time, 1968-1973. While David Pott's rose to the dizzy heights of business success, and was awarded a CBE, after leaving school without any qualifications, "Starlord", left school with 7 'O' Levels and obtained 4 'A' Levels at Ashton Grammar school, before attending Manchester University, to pursue an academic career as an entomologist (the study of insects). Apart from four jobs in two years and having been reborn in 1983, following a spritual experience with LSD, he was unemployed for 25-years and for the last 10-years, has been a self-employed astrological consultant.

Steve (Starlord) Fisher

Anti-Bedroom Tax Campaigner

While David Pott's found a pearl in his oyster, Steve (Starlord) Fisher, chose instead, a life of dignified otiosity. It just goes to show that education and qualifications aren't everything. As the old English proverb says, "It's not what you know, but who you know", that really counts, coupled with an acute ability to suck-up. And there is no better example of this maxim, than our very own nepotistic Tameside Council, where one-third of all councillors, are either married couples, couples or related to one another.

Friday, 13 November 2015

According to a report that appeared in the Daily Express on Tuesday, Angela Rayner, the Member of Parliament for Ashton-under-Lyne, could be facing a reprimand for the use of commons headed notepaper to make a complaint to a shoe shop. The article claims, that like Imelda Marcos, wife of Philippine dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, Ms. Rayner, is an avid collector of shoes. We are publishing below the article that appeared in the William Hickey column:"LABOUR MP Angela Rayner faces a reprimand from parliamentary authorities after using House of Commons headed notepaper to complain to a shoe shop that failed to reserve her a £195 pair of shoes with novelty four-inch Star War heels. She claims she ordered them in advance but when she called at the shop found they had sold out.

The MP for the Lancashire constituency of Ashton-under-Lyne, 35, wanted the shoes, which boasts heels in the shape of Star Wars robot R2-D2, for an extensive collection which has earned her the nickname "Shoebacca".

Rayner a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and recently promoted by him despite only being elected in May, should use commons notepaper only for official business.A spokesman for the MP said: "There appears to have been a breakdown in communication between Angela and the shop, which is regrettable." What she means is she didn't expect to have to explain her actions in public.

THE SUN Saturday 7th Nov., front page reporting vile anti-capitalist anarchists injure police and horses. Photo of them masked about to throw stuff. Inside page more of the same with names of (alleged) police horses injured. This event had all the marks of cop-infiltrators. Our widespread anger continues. But no national discussion among anarchists about complimentary actions in different places. Nothing to make the impact of short term alliances with broad based coalitions and specific aims. Best example of that in recent years have been our contributions to the OCCUPY
movement in different places around the world.

Preparation for arrest is only part of planning needed to make maximum effect. Having a thought about how our actions will be interpreted by millions is more important. It may be noble to lay yourself on the State’s sacrificial alter but only when time and place are right for us. Thought must also be given to 'first-timers' of any age who may be deterred from ever doing stuff with us again. In non violent direct actions those wanting arrest must be kept separate from those who do not want such outcome.

Newcomers need to listen to 'old-hands' about what is likely to happen. Lancaster OCCUPY showed a good example of that process. Less chance then of ignorance about well-reported cops embedded with eco groups. Anti-Frackers found such provoking agents hard to spot. These police-plants on occasions make themselves visible to old-hands. Give-away signs: contempt for the cautious or those like my friends.

I describe 'my friends', as Derek, Brian, Laurens, Barry, Chris and others as 'gentle old anarchists'. We are the dangerous ones who have some grasp of strategy and tactics to subvert the State. We encourage our working methods with friends and neighbours:- non hierarchical discussion, horizontal organization and non exploitative relationships.

Expect no such critique from those misusing our resources in London. Those in our book shop and its building will condemn me as a cowardly middle class pacifist.

Thursday, 12 November 2015

Although it might be more accurate to describe many parts of Greater Manchester as akin to a Northern Poor House rather than a 'Northern Power House', by no means, are all people who live within the Greater Manchester conurbation, affected by the government's austerity policies. Take, as an example, Angela Rayner.

Unlike many of her constituents, who are struggling to make ends meet and are being driven to food banks by benefit sanctions and debt, and are being evicted from their homes because of the bedroom tax, Ms. Rayner, (35), the Labour MP who represents Ashton-under-Lyne, recently vented her anger after being unable to purchase a coveted pair of 'Star War Shoes' with R2-D2 heels, for the princely sum of £195 (see below).

Frustrated at her inability to obtain the shoes, the former home-help, wrote a strongly-worded letter on House of Commons notepaper to Brighton-based retailer 'Irregular Choice' and their head office. The fiery read-head, wrote:

"I have only ever bought your shoes and I am loathe to do so again, or recommend your shoes to others. I am writing to let you know that treating customers in that way will only cost you more in the long term."
If the Ashton MP, believed that writing to the company on House of Commons notepaper, might secure her an advantage, she was soon put right. Daniel Theophanides, 32, head of retail at Irregular Choice, told the press that he was -

"personally very shocked by the complaint" adding: "It was the wording of the complaint on House of Commons headed paper. One was addressed to head office and the other was sent to the shop in Brighton. The store manager saw it and that wasn't nice, it was cruel. I wouldn't dream of writing a letter of complaint on company headed paper."
Mr. Theophanides, insists that the tyro MP, who was elected in May 2015, mistakenly believed she was on a pre-order list but the shoes were only available to people who turned up at their shops. He said: "There was a queue outside every single one of our five stores in the UK on Carnaby Street and Camden in London and in Brighton, Leicester and Norwich." adding, that he called Rayner to say he was "sorry she missed out", but did not get a chance to offer her a pair he'd sourced from China, as she "hung up."

The Ashton MP told the press - "There appears to have been a breakdown in communications with the company, which is regrettable...My complaint was about the poor level of customer service and the atttitude of a member of staff, who appears to be seeking headlines in tabloid newspapers rather than concentrating on providing a decent service to customers. Her constituency office stated that rules permit " modest use" of House of Commons stationery for personal correspondence.

Before being elected an MP in May 2015, Ms. Rayner, was selected from an all women's short-list that was imposed on the Ashton constituency Labour Party. She started her working life as an home help and didn't go to university. In an interview with the Guardian in February 2012, which she gave when she was a full-time Unison Branch Secretary, working at Stockport Council, she told the newspaper that she grew up on a council estate and was pregnant at 16, and was "only able to afford clothes from a charity shop."

It's the sort of rags to riches story that we all like. The young lass from Stockport who was told that she'd never amount to anything and "would be living in a council house, on benefits with loads of kids by the time I was 30." You might say that this former home-help, has landed on her feet since she was elected the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne. But with her tacky Star Wars shoes and R2-D2 heels, - which she wont be wearing to climb Kinder Scout - she ought to be careful that she doesn't fall over on her next girls' night out.

Despite her professed working-class roots and trade union background, Rayner abstained on the government's recent welfare bill allowing them to cut £12bn from social security spending, including cutting child tax credits paid to hard working families. Deputy Labour leader, Harriet Harman, who called on MPs to abstain, said at the time of the vote that she'd been desperate to show that Labour had listened to the voters who had said the party was soft on benefits.

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

We are publishing below a recent press release from the Blacklist Support Group:"Blacklisted activists Dave Smith and Ellenor Hutson spoke at a meeting inside the Holyrood parliament calling on MSPs to take action over the issue of blacklisting and the activities of undercover police officers in Scotland. A large number of MSPs were present including Elaine Smith, deputy speaker of the Scottish parliament.

Ellenor Hutson, an environmental activist from Glasgow who was blacklisted by the notorious Consulting Association told the MSPs that she had been spied on by a number of undercover police officers over many years. She relayed the story of those other women activists who had been deceived into having long term sexual relationships with the officers who cynically used the relationships as a way of ingratiating themselves within campaigns. Ellenor told how some of the women activists have described this as "being raped by the state".

Ellenor explained how during the G8 Gleneagles summit in 2005, she had worked alongside the undercover police officer Mark Kennedy who while a serving officer was one of the central organisers of the anti-globalisation protests, being the Transport Coordinator, which involved hiring flatbed lorries and minibuses to transport materials and people - a key logistical role during the summit protests.

Dave Smith, secretary of Blacklist Support Group (BSG) and co-author of the book 'Blacklisted' also spoke at the meeting and told how undercover police officers had posed as construction workers even infiltrating trade unions. Smith alongside other blacklisted workers and the Blacklist Support Group have been granted 'core participant' status in the Pitchford public inquiry into undercover policing that has just opened. However, the remit for the public inquiry set up by the Home Secretary, Teresa May specifically limits the inquiry to the activities of undercover policing in "England and Wales", so the activities of the police officers who played leading roles in the protests at Gleneagles and who may have spied on trade unions in Scotland would be excluded from the investigation.

Smith & Hutson both called for a full public inquiry into the role of undercover police operating in Scotland - either by the Scottish government writing to Lord Pitchford and asking him to extend the geographical scope of his inquiry or else by setting up a separate inquiry.

Dave Smith also called on the Scottish government and other public authorities across not just Scotland but the whole UK to implement the proposal of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee investigation into blacklisting and to ban blacklisting firms from publicly funded contracts. Smith explained how the major construction firms have now fully admitted their guilt and made a public apology in the High Court. Smith told MSPs, "Blacklisted workers don't want sympathy from politicians: we're drowning in sympathy. What we need is action, not just fine words"

The meeting was hosted by UNITE the Union with Neil Findlay MSP for the Lothians also speaking. Neil Findlay MSP commented after the meeting:

‘This was an excellent and shocking event at the Scottish Parliament. The meeting heard from two people whose lives have been directly affected by being put on a blacklist. To hear how Dave Smith was prevented from earning a living because of his trade union activity and for questioning health and safety practices and welfare on construction sites was truly scandalous. Likewise to hear from Ellenor how she was placed on a blacklist for the ‘heinous crime’ of caring about our environment, despite having never worked on a construction site, was remarkable.’

‘What compounded the shocking nature of Dave and Ellenor’s testimonies was their description of the role played by undercover Police. This speakers explained the central role played by the police in compiling names and passing them on construction companies. Ellenor described how she was an activist alongside Mark Kennedy, who it is now known was an undercover policeman pretending to be an activist. This collusion needs investigating and I and others will be calling for an inquiry."

'WE are a very united party in Rochdale and have been for a number of years now … ', were Simon Danczuk's words in an article by Paul Waugh carried by the Huffington Post a few days ago. So how was this marvellous unity achieved then Simon? And if the local party is so united why did council leader Richard Farnell have to warn Labour councillors in October not to criticise Mr Danczuk on social media.

Private Eye's HP Sauce column recently carried an article reminding the world that while Simon Danczuk likes to posture as a 'Labour Rebel' ever in danger of being booted out of the party, his own record in accepting dissenting voices in the Rochdale Constituency Labour party leaves rather a lot to be desired.

As the Eye pointed out in 2009 he complained that seven members of Rochdale Labour Party had undermined him in seeking an investigation into his conduct towards his then partner Karen Burke during a holiday in Spain. Of these five were expelled and two suspended.

But the quest to get rid of dissenter's didn't stop there. In December 2011, Danczuk wrote to the then Labour Leader Colin Lambert, who was himself later ousted after delivering a stunning Labour victory at the council elections in 2014, and himself the victim of a smear campaign in 2012, complaining about Councillor Farooq Ahmed the cabinet member for finance.

Danczuk is reported to have said:'I supplied a letter to the council leader on December 19 about a variety of issues relating to Councillor Ahmed's behaviour.'When serious concerns about a councillor's conduct are brought to my attention, no matter what party they belong to, it is my duty to ensure that action is taken. 'I am disappointed the council leader has dithered and has been indecisive but I am pleased the group nationally has acted.'
Note the word 'dithered' here. Danczuk clearly expects everyone to immediately dance to his tune. When Colin Lambert did not do what Danczuk expected he took his complaint to the national party claiming he 'had a duty' to ensure action was taken. Note also the similarity between this and Danczuk's attack on Ed Milliband for failing to suspend Janner on his say so.
In an interview reported in the Manchester Evening News Councillor Ahmed said:'I have decided to step down from council due to continuous attacks, false allegations targeted to my professional and private life channelled by Mr Danczuk.'
Councillor Ahmed seems to have had the overwhelming support of Labour group and later reversed his decision.
In the subsequent investigation Councillor Ahmed was completely exonerated, but the damage to his reputation and standing in the community had already been done.
Now the interesting thing about the media reports of this spat is that they start to appear on or after 10 January 2012. This was the day a commercial media company, CavendishPressAgency uploaded a video to YouTube with the title 'Pot-ted! Labour boss quits over "cannabis film". '
How this video clip came into the hands of CavendishPressAgency we do not know but Farooq Ahmed is on record as saying that the sudden emergence of the video was part of a 'smear campaign orchestrated by Simon Danczuk.'
Interviewed by New Statesman Chris Mullins said:'Now collaborating with the nastier elements of the Murdoch press to do down the party is quite a high crime in my book, and if I was in Simon Danczuk’s CLP, I would certainly be sharpening my sword. He might well go away to Ukip or somewhere in the end, but good riddance to him, I say.'
Richard Farnell's writ runs only so far. He may be able to control any anti-Danczuk stirrings in the hearts of Labour councillors. But there are some party members who are wondering if Danczuk
should be in the Labour party at all. They may well be emboldened by the fact that Danczuk's record of bringing the party into disrepute is being added to by every article he writes for the Mailon Sunday, so he would look like a hypocrite if he claimed that any dissenting voices were doing just that.

Saturday, 7 November 2015

of a claim made by Bury Council in the previous issue
that claimed that the Council had only had '18 formal complaints' from the public, and that this suggested that
there was customer satisfaction with the local bin collections.

THEManchester Evening News (MEN) on the 20th, October, ran a story entitled 'More than 10,000 complaints made about missed bin collection since start of year'. The article referred to bins left unemptied owing to refuse collectors discovering overflowing or overweight bins or simply incorrectly used bins. But while showing an increase in complaints the article warned that the data applied 'only to Manchester, Salford, Wigan, Trafford, Stockport and Tameside councils. Bolton, Bury, Oldham and Rochdale said they couldn’t collate their figures to respond.'

Yet, somehow Bury Council managed to rustle up some figures shortly afterwards because Sarah Yates was able to report days later in the Bury Times on the 25th, Oct. 2015, that 'Bury Council chiefs have received more positive feedback about
its three-weekly bin collections than complaints.'

ThusBury Council, the first council in England to collect rubbish
bins once every three weeks, is now able to announce according to the Bury Times that 'whilst it received 18 formal complaints, there
were 65 compliments registered since the grey bin collection regime began a
year ago'.

Consequently, those Jeremiah's like NV, some binmen and local residents, who voiced their concerns of overflowing bins, rat revivals and insect infestations have now seemingly been proved wrong. Indeed, now councils like Rochdale and elsewhere have eagerly followed in the footsteps of Bury MBC.

The question remains as to why Bury couldn't collate their figures in time to respond to the MEN Freedom of Information request a few days earlier? Especially given that the number of negative complaints at merely 18, were so tiny compared with almost everywhere else? Surely they can count up to 18?

In the current Bury Times, Ian Coates from Radcliffe, declares:

'FOLLOWING the story in last week's paper about the three-weekly collections and the council claiming to have had only 18 formal complaints, they are in cloud cuckoo land. If they actually think people want the three-weekly collections they are deluded. They are seeing whet they want to see. Why do they not go on to Facebook and look what the people of Bury and Radcliffe are really saying.'

Only a week ago an ex-policeman was voted into the Tottington Ward of Bury as a conservative councillor, and he fought on the platform of restoring more regular collections of grey bins.

Friday, 6 November 2015

AMAZING ★★★★ REVIEW LONDON THEATRE 1 - 'UNITED WE STAND'‏ The story of Des Warren, Ricky Tomlinson & The Shrewsbury Pickets ON NOW at THE BUSSEY BUILDING, PECKHAM until 14 NOV.

AMAZING ★★★★ REVIEW from LONDON THEATRE 1 - 'UNITED WE STAND'‏ The story of Des Warren, Ricky Tomlinson & The Shrewsbury Pickets ON NOW AT THE BUSSEY BUILDING, PECKHAM

United We Stand at CLF Theatre Peckham

November 3, 2015 By Peter Yates

Williams Fox and Neil Gore in United We Stand

From L-R Williams Fox and Neil Gore in United We Stand – Photo by Amy Yardley

MORIBUND politics: with the Tories courting unpopularity virtually unopposed, the Liberal Democrats finding that downsizing principles means downsizing their Parliamentary footprint and the Labour Party apparently intent on devouring its own entrails in some kind of Corbynastic sacrifice, it is very good for soul and sanity to discover that Political Theatre is alive and kicking and energising audiences in Peckham.

Louise Townsend’s sparky, edgy and intelligently reflective production is the kind of theatre that political activists crave and wider audiences need. In essence United We Stand is, like Journey’s End, a historical document that I’m certain will be referenced down the ages. Performed with remarkable gusto by just its writer, Neil Gore, and fellow performer, William Fox, the pair take on a myriad of roles in re-creating the story, making this a

spectacular Two de Force.

The original Shrewsbury 24 became, in 1973, the Shrewsbury Three when John McKinsie Jones, Des Warren and one Eric (AKA Ricky) Tomlinson were jailed under the 1875 act (yes, that old standby) for “conspiracy”. It is great credit to the show that it resists all temptation to play on Ricky’s subsequent fame and the words “Brookside” and “Royle Family” are never mentioned.

The “conspiracy” was that the Three organised strikes and flying pickets in a building industry dispute against “the Lump” – the way casual builders were paid with a lump sum – a system that was universally seen as unfair and a way to keep wages down to a minimum. The fact that the dispute had been settled and work had resumed on all building sites for five months before conspiracy charges were brought with the Shrewsbury Three dragged into court and jailed, leads to the suspicion that the real conspiracy was between the powerful building lobby, the government and the police. This is a point made effectively by the show which incorporates music, puppets, pantomime, projection, a TV game-show format and fast costume changes in developing its theme: this is Agit Prop theatre at its most agitated, at its most uncompromising.

To do this as effectively as the Townsend Productions show does you need accomplished and highly effective performers. The modern phenomenon is that actors are not just actors but need to be singers, dancers and good musicians as well. Gore and Fox played their guitars, ukuleles, snares, cymbals and that good old Ringo Starr standby – the packing case – as second nature. Musical Director John Kirkpatrick of Steeleye Span fame provided a hard-folk edge with new (to me) songs and a rousing rendition of that seminal Strawbs classic Part of the Union which had the whole audience foot-stomping and singing along.

The interwoven musical thread of the piece added a Brechtian flavour to the vibrant political drama. But the comparison ended there: far from wishing to alienate the audience Townsend and her cast wanted to draw the audience in, use us as part of the action, get us to be workers at a union meeting reacting to the latest diktats of the oppressive construction industry bosses: this was Ultimate Audience Participation exemplified by the reaction of Len McClusckey, next to whom I was seated, who instinctively and loudly exclaimed “Sell out!” when a mealy-mouthed Union convenor refused to wholeheartedly back the pickets’ actions. A contemporary Union Boss shouting at a dramatic representation of an authentic historical figure? This was Metatheatre writ large and full testament to the power of this extraordinary production.

Fox’s constant dialogue with the audience, in asides, ad-libs, jokes and unscripted commentary also helped us to feel we were “there”. “We hate the police” he intoned, hurriedly adding “unless there are any in”. Followed by: “We hate the press – and we don’t care if you’re in”.

The show is fully supported by the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign which is still actively demanding justice 42 years on. The most remarkable fact to come out of the evening is that there are still documents of interest being withheld by successive governments – yes, including, as Mr McCluskey acerbically pointed out after the show – 13 years of a Labour government, despite the fact that the 30 year rule has passed. The reason? National Security.

This powerful drama might, perhaps, remind Theresa May that her government promised to be the most transparent UK government ever.

Wednesday, 4 November 2015

I respond to Myk Zytlin’s letter in PRIVATE EYE, 30th Oct., p.22 complaining about our piece in the Eye’s previous issue. Chris Draper had helped expose what had happened to Freedom Press and its building in London. First thought:- we have to think about the Advisory Service For Squatters (ASFS) based there. Second thought:- they are the best agency for that client group in Britain with contacts and resources to make that claim. Moving home can be hard at times. But should be no problem for ASFS to re locate themselves and the other 'active organisations' mentioned by Myk.
Soon after Myk’s complaint I got an e mail from Simon Saunders about my recent contribution to the Northern Voices blog. saying '……….what problems do (I) think need addressing……………'.

If we cannot make fun of each other Simon we are just a bunch of gloomy lefties. Meanwhile anarchist throughout Britain, their friends and neighbours need dialogue with those now in FREEDOM’s building in London. Recently a house came into your possession. A first step in sensible dialogue will be for you to make it available to those groups mentioned above.

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

JEREMY Corbyn Vice President of CND is facing a circle which he cannot square. He wears a red poppy at PMQs in the House of Commons and his apparent reluctance to wear a white poppy is inconsistent with his continuing role in CND. What is even worse is his failure to take on the nuclearphiles at the Labour Party Conference. It now transpires that a National Policy Forum Report Agenda 2015. Britains Global Role passed. Hidden away on page 122 of a report of over 200 pages was the following:'We are committed to a minimum,credible, independent nuclear deterrent delivered through a continuous At-Sea Deterrent.' I
n another section Enhancing NATO (sic) it states:'NATO remains the cornerstone of our defence policy and Labour will continue to press for financial investment in NATO.'

In the past Jeremy Corbyn has campaigned for British Withdrawal from NATO which is a nuclear alliance with a 'first strike' policy. What is his position now? He is conspicuous by his silence on this issue. Pledges not to press the nuclear button are fatuous if Britain remains in NATO.

All those socialists and peace campaigners who voted for Corbyn for the labour leadership need to address these issues. In all conscience can he continue to lead a party in which the great majority of Labour Shadow Ministers and MPS are likely to vote for Trident renewal?

ALL those communists who hero worshipped La Pasionaria (Dolores Ibarruri) would do well to read the biography of her written by Robert Low titled 'La Pasionaria: The Spanish Firebrand'. La Pasionaria, the grand dame of international communism, makes no mention of the anti-Poum purge in her memoirs. Her antipathy to the anarchists and the POUM in made patently clear in her partisan account of the May Days in Barcelona (1937) and the events which preceded it. 'The Anarcho-Trotskyist putsch of May...has been in the making for months. The time of the outbreak was not chosen in Catalonia but in the General Staff offices of Franco' (Ibarruri).
George Orwell in his remarkable eye witness account in 'Homage to Catalonia' contemptuously dismissed this communist propaganda. 'The Communistic thesis of a POUM rising under fascist orders rests on less than no evidence.' Furthermore he added:'I believe that libels and press campaigns of this kind and the habits of mind they indicate, are capable of doing the most deadly damage to the anti-fascist cause.'
The International Brigades Memorial Trust would do well to heed the prophetic words of Orwell, and cease to glorify Ibarruris role in the Spanish Civil War.

Monday, 2 November 2015

WHEN Simon Danczuk launched his book 'Smile for the Camera' (co-authored by Matthew Baker) at Danczuk's Deli in April 2014, one of the people he quickly praised was Stefan Cholewka. He said that he had known of Cyril's shortcomings for a quite a while through talking 'to Stefan'. When the matter of the book by Simon and Matthew Baker was later discussed after I brought it up at a meeting of the Greater Manchester County Association of TUCs (GMCA TUCs) in 2014, the Secretary of the GMCA TUCs Stefan quickly praised the book saying that he had read it, and that it showed that Cyril Smith had been 'cottaging', that is picking up young boys in Gent's urinals. Neither Stefan or Simon Danczuk at these events gave any credit to the editors of the Rochdale Alternative Paper (RAP), David Bartlett or John Walker who originally outed Cyril in May 1979; or the Westminster Blogger, Paul Waugh of the Politics Home Website who supplied information for Mr. Danczuk to make his speech to the House of Commons on the 13th, November 2012; or Northern Voices, which with John Walker made contact with two of the victims at Cambridge House - Edward Shorrock in Nelson, Lancashire, and Barry Fitton now in Amsterdam: Danczuk though did acknowledge John Walker and David Bartlett in the book.

Yesterday, there was an article on Rochdale Online commenting on a paid column from Simon Danczuk in the Daily Mail complained of Mr. Danczuk 'Doing the Tories dirty work for them, undermining the Labour leader' and pointed to what seems to be the hypocrisy of Mr. Danczuk: 'Danczuk rants about the 'hard left', conveniently forgetting a member of his campaign team in the 2010 general election was Stefan Chowleka, a Trotskyist "hard left" Labour member.'In what appeared to be an editorial the writer continues:'Danczuks smear tactics are very familiar to those who have disagreed with him in Rochdale, his "modus operandi" is to ruthlessly assassinate their characters. Not for nothing is he known locally as "Slyman" Danczuk.'The case of Stefan Cholewka is interesting in a post on the Rochdale Alternative Website [RAW] (not to be confused with the Rochdale Alternative Paper [RAP] that ceased Publication in the early 1980s) on the 26th, October 2009, someone called 'Stiff OneCholewka' wrote: 'If they're his friends I'm a Danczukite.'Mr. Cholewka is listed on Wikipedia as being part of what George Orwell may have called a 'smelly little orthodoxy', which seeks to penetrate and influence the Labour Party from within, Wikipedia says:'Today, this grouping is led by Stefan Cholewka [29], a Labour Party member in Rochdale. The British Section of the International Liaison Committee for a Workers' International[30][31] is a small group which occasionally publishes Workers' Unity and The Link.'No doubt this group is so small and ineffectual that it has never warranted exclusion from the party, yet all this is in the public domain and Simon Danczuk must know about the kind of company he is keeping in the Rochdale Labour Party.When Stefan, editor of The Link, proudly proclaimed on RAW: 'I'm a Danczukite' in October 2009, the Rochdale Labour Party was about to experience a purge of the membership as a consequence of a complaint from Simon Danczuk. The outline to the case is given below, and Northern Voices understands that Mr. Stefan Cholewka was a witness against the defendants, and Anna Hutchingson, Regional Director of the Labour Party based in Warrington, was prosecuting the case. On the 22nd, October 2015, ROCHDALE ONLINE reported:'It is over six years since Rochdale Labour Party suspended two and expelled five of its members. In the light of the recent actions, comments and newspaper articles by Rochdale's MP Simon Danczuk, we feel that it is the appropriate time to speak out on events then and now.'In September 2009 seven members of Rochdale Labour Party (RLP) were brought before the Labour Party National Constitutional Committee (NCC) to be disciplined for breaking party rules. The seven longstanding active members were asked to attend a hearing at the Broadfield Hotel.'The main charge against all but one member was that they wrote a letter to the Rochdale Observer asking for the Party to investigate a domestic incident in Spain between Simon Danczuk and his then girlfriend Karen Burke. The matter was exposed in two angry emails sent by Karen Burke's brother, Steven.'The North West Region of the Labour Party presented the case even though Simon Danczuk was the subject of the incident, which members asked to be properly investigated. At the time Simon Danczuk was on the ruling body of the North West Regional Labour Party.'The investigation was reported on by Rochdale Online, who had access to the emails and other information from the hearing.'http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/29680/labour-discipline-panel-decides-there-is-a-case-to-answer A national newspaper (Mail on Sunday) has since published details of the holiday incident.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3157459/Disturbing-questions-Simon-Danczuk-crusades-against-abuse.html